When Whedon, coming off The Avengers blockbuster, decided to do a modest but modern take on William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, (opening in Toronto June 14, Vancouver June 21 and June 28 in Calgary and Edmonton), Fillion was one of the first to be called.

And that’s when the Canuck uncertainty kicked in.

“I didn’t hesitate to say yes,” said the 42-year-old, speaking from L. A. “But later on, I realized what I got myself into and I tried to chicken out.”

Of course, Whedon wouldn’t let him, so Fillion, who had never attempted Shakespeare, delved into the complex dialogue of dim-witted security dude Dogberry, treating its study as though he had returned to school.

Some in the ensemble had done Shakespeare before. Yet Fillion wasn’t the only thespian that hadn’t. Some days he just felt like the only one.

Fillion did have lots of support from Whedon, who shot the movie at his Santa Monica house over a quick 12 days. “I always have lots of confidence with Joss,” said the actor

‘I realized what I got myself into and I tried to chicken out.’

The fact that the players wear modern attire as opposed to period costumes helped him, too.

“Period costumes would have been incredibly distracting,” he insisted. “I am not super comfortable in a doublet.”

Initially, as a first-timer, Fillion felt awkward espousing the Shakespearean verse. “At times, I felt like I was doing a bad David Caruso.”

In the end, “I enjoyed it,” but he admitted that the process took him a while.

“I learned that it is important to listen to what you’re saying, and know what you are saying, and know the point of it,” Fillion said.

What he did understand was how to play a comic foil, “who is vain but doesn’t understand people are making jokes at his expense.”

The truth is, Fillion noted, “comedy is not hard — what’s hard is to get a laugh.”

He seems to do that easily in Much Ado About Nothing. So far, he’s proved adept at drama, as well. His detective series, Castle, is heading into its sixth season with sound ratings.

“I really can’t believe I have been doing TV for five years,” said Fillion who fell into the role of Richard Castle, a mystery writer who helps a New York detective (Stana Katic) solve murder cases.

Doing twenty-four, hour-long episodes over five seasons can be gruelling. “The hiatus just whizzes by, but I am very grateful.”

He finds time during the brief two-month break to attempt things like Much Ado About Nothing. He also voiced the animated character, Johnny, in Pixar’s prequel, Monsters University, which opens June 21.

“He’s a fraternity jock-jerk,” said Fillion who was a University of Alberta frat guy, too. “But we were more like the Dead Poet’s Society.”

Meanwhile, the burning question is this: Will Firefly ever shine again? Whedon already tried a Firefly movie called Serenity in 2005, which didn’t connect with a mainstream audience.

Fillion, who still attends fan expos in the name of Firefly, was careful about pretending there might be hope for a rejuvenation after the series was abruptly cancelled in 2003.

More optimistically, he has this to proclaim in a positive way.

“Firefly will never be bad,” said Fillion. “The show will never have a chance to suck in the third season.”

I am the Postmedia News movie writer and canada.com columnist. I prepare features and profiles stars of major motion pictures, including Robert Downey Jr., George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Julia Roberts... read more. Previously, I was a movie writer for Postmedia's National Post. I was at the George Lucas farm near San Francisco to report on the last Star Wars picture, Revenge of the Sith. I was in New York for the first preview of Peter Jackson's King Kong remake. And I have been up close and personal with high profile A-listers such as Cameron Diaz, Matt Damon, Jennifer Aniston and many others. Before that, I was a sleep-deprived pop music writer and critic, a film writer and reviewer, and entertainment editor at the Toronto Sun. I also worked at CBC as a writer and producer, and was one of five writers selected to produce the script for the CBC's Canada For Asia live tsunami benefit broadcast in 2005.View author's profile